During our trip to Tunisia, we decided to take an overnight ferry to the Italian island of Sicily. I visited Sicily before, in 1997, but was only able to see the eastern side of the island on that trip. I was excited to visit once again because my aunt and uncle are originally from Sicily.
We rented a car and explored the entire island. On our first day of driving, we realized that Sicily is bigger than we originally thought. I had to drive fast to see everything! Nearly everyone drives fast in Italy, often over 150 kilometers per hour on country roads.
Of course, as part of Italy, the food in Sicily is delicious. We ate fresh pasta and drank locally-made wine. I would be happy to visit Italy just for the food.
There are many historic and beautiful cities and places in Sicily. Siracusa and Ragusa are the most famous. Our favorite part of the country was the area near the main city of Palermo. There are rolling hills and mountains with snow on them at all times of the year, making the area look like Daisetzuan National Park in Hokkaido.
We enjoyed stopping in the small towns and drinking espresso at cafes. I have great memories of these cafes. Viva Italia!